[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

I just think most of the 1 for 1 proposals I've seen are very unrealistic... you're not getting Konecny, you're not getting Hischier, you're not getting Eichel, it's probably not going to be Reinhart.

I agree wit you here. It is highly unlikely the Flames will be looking at a 1-for-1. They will be trying to fill gaps and make the team better. It will be a multi-player deal where the Flames move Gaudreau and a couple other low level assets to grab multiple assets below Gaudreau and above the other players we give up. Yes, we are going to have to eat some type of negative component to get a deal done. That's the reality we are facing with a capped NHL world.

Once again I'd be looking at Oliver Bjorkstrand and maybe a small adder if it's Columbus. But that said I fail to see how the package I proposed is really all that difficult from the Philadelphia ideas that people have been throwing around for weeks. Might as well go get a ton of young guys with big upside. The Gilmour and Phaneuf trades were decidedly not that. They brought in guys at the ends of their careers, in their 30s.

Not sure I see the attraction of Bjorkstrand. Maybe as part of a larger package, but I don't see him a difference maker on this team. If they can manage to swing a deal where he's the second best piece coming back from Columbus, then maybe, but I don't see much upside where he is the guy you focus on.

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Most of those Philly trades are garbage as well. I think people are saying they don’t want to get a collection of assets with varying degrees of panning out. I would rather target high picks than what you have proposed.

Targeting picks for this team would be a massive fail. That is a signal that a rebuild is underway. Draft picks are nothing but lottery tickets, and it is highly unlikely that that you are going to get high draft picks in a deal for a player like Gaudreau. You likely could make a deal for picks, but you're going to have them spread out over a number of years and those picks will likely drop into a lower band as Gaudreau has a positive impact on his new team.

When you do take on draft picks you have to hit them out of the park. Take the 2015 and 2016 drafts for perfect examples. The 2016 draft was supposed to be a great one, with can't miss prospects at any position in the top 15. That top 15 included Jesse Puljujarvi, Olli Juolevi, Alexander Nylander, Logan Brown, Michael McLeod, and Jake Bean. Woof. The 2015 draft had the Bruins doing exactly what you suggest. The stockpiled picks and had the 13th, 14th, and 15th selections. Success was certain to follow with those three high draft picks. Unfortunately they picked Jakub Zboril, Jake DeBrusk, and Zachary Senyshyn. Again, woof. DeBrusk is the only guy that panned out. Thankfully the Bruins had a plethora of talented players to fall back on and that bust at the draft table didn't crush them.

The smart play is to target a team with a number of young players who are on the verge of or just braking in, and then raid that team. I appreciate that is not as sexy or fun as going into the draft with a handful of draft picks, but you are also not stuck waiting for three to five years as those picks develop and potentially turn into a NHL player. You're better off grabbing a player that you are confident will play and contribute in areas where the team is in need that taking a flyer on a handful of magic beans. I would prefer walking away with a Corey Millen and Jarome Iginla than a handful of picks and end up with Emile Poirier and Morgan Klimchuk, or a whole draft of Sam Bennett, Mason MacDonald, Hunter Smith, Brandon Hickey, Adam Ollas-Mattsson, and Austin Carroll.

I very perplexed that you think Columbus needs maybe just a small adder to Bjorkstrand who is a 25 year old with a career high of 40pts. I am interested tonhesr your justification for such a poor return?

I agree. That suggestion is crazy. That is such a major step down from Gaudreau and there is no potential in the pipeline from deal. You need to find that deal where you get a higher functioning Corey Millen and a couple young players that are going to contribute and help control costs.